25 52
by Kathryn6
Summary: Generally a light-herated fiction. Piper is left mourning Leo's loss, Phoebe is stuck holding the baby, Chris has a romantic interest in one of the charmed ones and Paige finds a perfect man who's only problem is he's twice her age.
1. Part One

25 -52  
  
Disclaimer: I own the words not the characters.  
  
Set: After the season six finale.  
  
Part One  
  
Paige pushed open the front door at the Bay Mirror headquarters, as she balanced her infant nephew in her other arm. She smiled at Wyatt as he squirmed in her hands reaching for anything that was in his grasp. He was so innocent and so curious wanting to know what everything was like and how it felt.  
  
Piper and Leo were missing so much. Their baby was starting to grow up and explore everything he could lay his hands on, while his daddy was up in elder land and his mommy in denial. In the two months since Leo had left, Paige had watched her sister go from bad to worse.  
  
With the door slightly open, she stuck her foot in the door as she reached for the bags that were on the floor. She pushed the door open with her knee as she slowly made her way into the base for the newspaper that her sister worked for.  
  
"Can I help you?"  
  
Paige looked up to see a man who looked remarkably like George Clooney, right down to his black slightly graying hair; approaching her with a smile. She smiled back him as she handing him a bag and Wyatt reached for the man's tie.  
  
"Wyatt, leave this nice gentleman alone." Paige said as she held onto Wyatt's tiny hands and turned back to the man. "Thanks, I'm here to see Phoebe Halliwell."  
  
"Business or pleasure?" He asked politely.  
  
"Pleasure," Paige replied as she glanced up and down his body and kept her grin. "I'm her sister, Paige, and this young man here is Wyatt."  
  
Paige watched and laughed as the man reached forward and took Wyatt's hand shaking it genteelly.  
  
"Nice to meet you Wyatt." He said before looking up at Paige. "And you too Paige, I'm Josef Peters."  
  
She extended her hand as she spoke. "Paige Matthews."  
  
"Well Mrs. Matthews, maybe you could help me out."  
  
"Miss and Paige is fine."  
  
"Well I'm doing an article on young mothers." Josef started.  
  
"Oh, I'm not his mom." Paige quickly interrupted. "I'm his aunt who's just providing the free babysitting service. I mean I can't even get a job anymore let alone a relationship."  
  
Paige felt her face turn a deep shade of red. Why did she always have a tendency to put her foot in her mouth when she next to an attractive man that could possibly be showing an interest in her. She mentally scolded herself that was the reason she was still single. People did not want to know her failures.  
  
"Well that's good."  
  
Paige sent him a slightly quizzical look. "Excuse me?"  
  
" I didn't mean that. I always get slightly flustered when I'm around a beautiful woman." Josef explained as his own face went slightly red. "Well, I know this is a bit sudden, but."  
  
"Josef." Elise voice yelled as she started to come across the room.  
  
Josef looked over his shoulder and sent Paige an apologetic smile. "I owe her a article. I better go."  
  
"And I better find Phoebe."  
  
Paige smiled as watched Josef walk away and find her eyes drifted down to his backside. His bum certainly looked nice in those trousers. Actually his whole body looked well toned, perfect in every aspect. Paige thoughts were interrupted as she felt Wyatt pull her hair.  
  
"Okay you," She whispered to Wyatt. "Let's go and find aunt Phoebe."  
  
Struggling to pick up the bag, she made her way to Phoebe's office still half dreaming. She had a sudden pounding that started to go through her heart as she felt her eyes follow Josef before opening Phoebe's office door.  
  
"Hey aunt Phoebe."  
  
Phoebe rushed out from behind her desk and scooped Wyatt up from Paige's arms to her own. She sent a smile at Paige as she hugged Wyatt towards her before placing him on the floor with a couple of pieces of loose paper.  
  
"What do I owe this pleasure?"  
  
"I've got a job interview." Paige reminded her sister. "And you're the only one who can look after him."  
  
"Okay, okay." Phoebe sighed as she looked from Wyatt to the pile of letters on her desk. "But someone really needs to talk to Piper."  
  
"I've been saying that for a while." Paige said half exhausted. "But I really need to go now."  
  
Paige quickly kissed Wyatt on the head before picking up her handbag and ushering her goodbyes to Phoebe.  
  
* * *  
  
Piper lay on her bed looking sideways at her wedding photo. Only three years ago that day had been one of the happiest of her life, along with giving birth to Wyatt. Yet after that short period of time her husband had left her.  
  
It did not really matter that he had no left her because their marriage was failing. That he had really left her for the greater good, in being an elder to help good prevail over evil. The only thing that mattered was that Leo had chosen to leave her.  
  
Her mother, her grandmother and her sister had all left her. But unlike Leo they had not chosen to leave.  
  
"Why?" Piper asked to the silent pictures as she felt tears stream down her face in a familiar fashion.  
  
She felt her heart ache again. She just wanted her husband back. She wanted her family back, her nice complete family back to normal.  
  
* * *  
  
Phoebe watched Wyatt playing on the floor with various pieces of paper. She picked nephew up as she smiled at him and opened her door.  
  
"Let's wave goodbye to aunt Paige."  
  
Phoebe's mouth dropped open slightly as she watched Paige talk to a fifty- something reporter on the way out of the newspaper offices. Why was Paige talking and flirting with that man.  
  
She tried to catch her younger sister's eye, but Paige had thrown her head back laughing and grinning. There was no chance that Paige was going to look away and back to her office.  
  
"Come on Wyatt, let's play with aunt Phoebe computer."  
  
* * *  
  
Paige smiled at Josef as she straighten the collar on her shirt. She always felt slightly nervous before job interviews, so this was probably not the best time to line up a date. But then again, he seemed to be a good catch and with life as short as it was in her line of work, there was no real reason to waste time.  
  
She gulped slightly and looked straight into his deep blue eyes. "Er, I don't normally do this. But would you like to meet up and go out sometime?"  
  
"I'd love too." 


	2. Part Two

Part Two  
  
Phoebe glanced at the office door and then rushed over to open it. There was no way that her little sister could even contemplate dating someone who was double her age. She adjusted Wyatt's position in her arms as she quickly strode across the room to where Paige was standing.  
  
"Paige."  
  
Paige turned to look at her little sister, smiling slightly as Wyatt reached his arms out. She knew what was coming as Phoebe looked back at her. Phoebe was going to lecture her about how she should not date someone who was either older than her or worked with one of her sisters and Josef did both.  
  
She glanced politely but obviously down at her watch. She had forty minutes before her job interview was due to start after spending a good twenty minutes talking to Josef.  
  
"Have I forgotten something?" Paige asked innocently.  
  
"No, it's just," Phoebe started as she removed Wyatt's hands from her hair. "Josef's, well, he's fifty-two."  
  
"I'm aware of that."  
  
"And you're only twenty-five."  
  
"No kidding," Paige replied sarcastically. "Look Pheebs do you have a point, because I'm running really late."  
  
Phoebe sighed, she could not believe that Paige was making her spell this out. It was perfectly obvious to her what the problem was and it would be to everyone else. Older men tended to only want younger women for one reason, and that tended not to be a good reason.  
  
"He's old enough to be your father."  
  
"That's not technically true." Paige pointed out with a small grin. "Sam is well over a hundred and the age gab between Piper and Leo is around fifty years too. But I really do need to go, I've only got thirty-five minutes now."  
  
Phoebe watched as Paige disappeared through the door. She guessed Paige had made a valid point, although she had discounted for the fact that both her mother and Piper had married whitelighters.  
  
The middle charmed one shrugged as she headed back to her office. She warned her and now she would just let her make her own mistakes.  
  
* * *  
  
Chris looked up to the sky as he heard a familiar call from above. He stood for a minute as he leisurely finished his bagel and to a gulp of orange juice before disappearing into golden orbs.  
  
Looking around as the golden sparking flashes reappeared in his own body he saw a familiar place. It was coated in white clothes with people walking around in either white or golden robes.  
  
He slowly made his way over to a golden-robed figure who had their back towards them. Yawning slightly, Chris chose to look down at his watch before opening his mouth to talk to the person who had called him.  
  
"What is it now?" He asked in a bored tone.  
  
The golden-robed man turned around to look at the young whitelighter. Chris nodded at the newly appointed elder, who he instantly recognized as Leo. There was a considered look written across Leo face as the lines on his face creased into wrinkles.  
  
"How's Piper and Wyatt?"  
  
"There fine." Chris replied as he glanced up at the sky. "Is that all or did you call me here for something important?"  
  
"It is important, they're my family." Leo told him in a harsh voice.  
  
"Oh yeah, never had one of those remember." Chris explained in a repetitive tone. "Anyway, you're first duty should be to this."  
  
"No my wife and child will always come first. And you promise to look after them for me."  
  
Chris glanced upwards again. He was sick of hearing this lecture over and over again. Surely the most powerful witches could look after themselves. And the sooner they learnt to act like the better. While Leo should learn to focus as an elder, instead of fusing around do neither the job as an elder or a husband and father particularly well.  
  
"Is the lecture over? Any message to take back?"  
  
"Tell Piper and Wyatt I love them." Leo said in an exhausted tone.  
  
Leo watched as Chris disappeared into thin orbs. He had no idea why he was trusting that man with his family and his life. Taking Chris on face value there were just so many things that he did not like about him, yet there was something in his gut telling him to trust the young whitelighter.  
  
* * *  
  
Paige came out of her interview. Any other day she would be furious with the fact that due to being a witch she could not answer the simplest questions. Why did she need fexible hours? Why had she taken a year off work doing nothing? Why had she given in on being a social worker after only one day in the job?  
  
Her mind flashed back to two years ago. These were exactly the type of problem that she could remember Phoebe having when she had first meet her. She mentally scolded herself for being slightly harsh on her older sister and viewing these problems as just excuses.  
  
She wanted to work, but she needed something flexible. If only she could find something like Piper or Phoebe where they could take time off if needed.  
  
Paige sighed as she got into the car and turned onto her cell phone. The sigh was replaced by a smile as she saw a text message from Josef. 'Looking forward to tonight. X' He really was looking to be the prefect gentleman.  
  
Her gloomy mood was lifted almost instantly, she intend to make the most of tonight. 


	3. Part Three

Part Three  
  
Piper stared aimlessly at the sink full of bubbly water as the breakfast dishes sank into it. What was really the point in caring about the dishes? What did matter if the house stayed a mess? Really what was the point in getting up in the morning? The only person that she wanted had been taken away from her. After all the battles that they had already fought and yet he had been taken away from her again.  
  
She wasn't a bad person in fact she was a good witch. And Leo wasn't a evil being either, far from it he was an angel. So why couldn't they just be together and let their little family grow up? Just have normal lives.  
  
The eldest Halliwell turned her back on the dishes and turned to head to her room. She was going to disappear under her covers again. But just as she had started to head towards the stairs, she stopped in mid movement as she saw golden orbs appear before her.  
  
"Leo," She started in a hopeful voice that disappeared as soon as she had uttered the words. "Oh it's you Chris."  
  
"Way to make a guy feel welcome."  
  
"Have you just come from up there? Have you seen Leo? Did he say anything? Any messages?" Piper fired a series of questions at the whitelighter without waiting for an answer.  
  
"No, no, no, and no." Chris replied in his bored fashion. "You really need to get over this."  
  
"Oh shut up Chris, you have no idea." Piper said before turning up the stairs.  
  
* * *  
  
Phoebe sat on the floor with her legs crossed as she held two building bricks in her hand and smiled as Wyatt ambled towards her. He grasped the bricks out of her hand and sent her back a toothless grin as he kicked over the small tower that she had built. The middle charmed one could not help but let out a small laugh. She couldn't help but hind her little nephew adorable especially with all his small antics and his own individual characteristic were being formed.  
  
Phoebe stood up with a jump as she heard a small knock on her office door, as she saw the door open.  
  
"Phoebe."  
  
"Elise," Phoebe replied quickly. "How are you? I've got the column all but finished."  
  
"That's good to know." Elise told her as she stared at Wyatt. "Because, I thought you were just playing with your nephew."  
  
"Oh, this, is a one off."  
  
Elise let out a small sigh. "It's just that's it's a one off that keeps happening. Now, seriously I have all the sympathy in the world to your sister and young Wyatt is adorable but we can't keep having him here."  
  
"I know," Phoebe said with a small nod. "We'll sort something out."  
  
"Thank you," Elise replied before disappearing out of the room.  
  
Phoebe watched the door as her boss closed it and then turned her attention back to Wyatt. She smiled hopelessly at the infant. What was going to happen to him? All he wanted was two parents and one had disappeared and the other was in depression.  
  
"We're going to sort this all out Wyatt, some way, somehow." She told him. "I promise."  
  
* * *  
  
Paige had a series of clothes that was scattered across her bed. She was trying to find the perfect outfit for the night and her date. She had no idea what to wear. It was the same question she asked herself on every first date and after eleven years of dating she was no better in answering it.  
  
She picked up a little black dress that had been laying on the floor after it had been previously flung out of the way. A little black number was always a safe bet she decided as she held it against herself and looked in the mirror. And if she did admit so herself; she looked rather good in one of her favorite outfits.  
  
Paige let out a small sigh before changing her clothes. Was she doing the right thing in the first place? Phoebe was right; he was twice her age. But then as she had told everything else about him was right. She had dated enough men her own age or near enough to it to know that those did not always work out with those.  
  
She smiled to herself; well if the date went well, then that would mean an end to her problems.  
  
* * *  
  
Chris slowly got up from his seat in front of the television as he heard the door ring. He was finding problem after problem in living in a house filled with women. Not least the waving emotions and the reluctance to do the simplest tasks.  
  
The young whitelighter open the door and was slightly shocked to see the man that was standing before him. Chris did not hide the fact that his mouth opened slightly as he opened the door further. Paige had said that she was expecting someone but this surely couldn't be him.  
  
"Hi," Josef said in an uneasy fashion. "I hope I have the right house. Paige Matthews, lives here, doesn't she."  
  
"Yeah she does." Chris replied in a passive aggressive voice. "Who are you?'  
  
"Oh I'm sorry, I should have introduced myself." Josef explained as he offered his hand forward. "I'm Josef Peter's her date."  
  
Chris could not help burst into laughter at this sentence. What was Paige playing at? Surely she was just stringing this poor man along. But then that was not the kind of thing that Paige or either of her sister would do.  
  
He sighed as he turned away. He was never going to understand women, especially these three.  
  
"Paige, Josef's here." 


	4. Part Four

Part Four  
  
Paige let Josef open the door for her and take her hand as she led her out of his black Jaguar car and into the restaurant. It felt nice to slip back in time for a night and let someone do things for her. She offered him a small smile as he glanced over his shoulder to look back at her.  
  
"You look amazing."  
  
"Thank you," She replied slightly blushing. "So do you."  
  
As she looked up she glanced straight into his face. She lost herself in his deep blue eyes and felt her heart melt. She had no idea why she was falling for this guy so fast, but she was falling hard and had no intension of stopping it.  
  
Paige followed Josef through to the bar as she waited for their table to come available. She smiled as he softly touched her face and settled a small kiss on her lips. Paige felt her heart jump, this was where the real date started and the chit chat ended.  
  
"So what can I get you to drink? Red, white, cocktail?" He asked her.  
  
"Just a sparkling water." She told both Josef and the bartender. "I don't drink."  
  
Josef offered her a small smile as he tilted his head slightly, "How come?"  
  
"I'm not really sure that's a first date story." Paige explained. "I'd say it's a least a third or a fourth date tale."  
  
"Is there going to be a third or a fourth date?"  
  
"I hope so," Paige lent forward and met Josef lips; she kissed him softly and let his tongue slip into her mouth.  
  
"This is a public place," A waiter said interrupting their kiss. "And your table's ready."  
  
"Wow, I feel like Sam out of 'Sex in the City'." Paige whispered as she got up and squeezed his hand.  
  
"Who?"  
  
* * *  
  
Phoebe slumped on the sofa in the living room as she half hearted watched the television and let her day disappear. This was her favourite part of the day, those hours when she just relaxed and unwound before getting things done for the next day or going out and enjoying the evening.  
  
"Hey demon magnet."  
  
Phoebe sighed and glanced upwards, "What do you want future boy?"  
  
She just could not put her finger on it, but there was just something that made her feeling uncomfortable about Chris, something that he was hiding. He's sulking, bad boy attitude was getting old and his nicknames for him were winding her up even further.  
  
"What's red head doing with the pensioner?"  
  
"I take it you mean Paige and Josef."  
  
"That would be it." Chris replied as he sat on the arm of the sofa.  
  
"So what do you want to know Chris?" Phoebe asked as she sat up a little.  
  
"What's the deal with that?"  
  
Phoebe glanced at Chris. Of all the people that normally sided with her it had hardly ever been Chris. They just had so little in common with each other, yet it looked like it was set to agree on Paige's latest date situation.  
  
"She's a adult Chris, it means that she can do what she wants."  
  
"Yeah I guess," He replied. "But has she lost her mind."  
  
Phoebe let out a small laugh, "I'd watch what you say. If she hears, she can orb your bits elsewhere."  
  
"She'd do that?"  
  
"Oh, you don't know Paige yet do you." Phoebe told him with a small smirk.  
  
"Guess not, but at least he's just a hundred." Chris replied. "And not the source of all evil."  
  
Phoebe stared at Chris before getting to her feet, "I've got to go."  
  
Phoebe glanced back at the young whitelighter before heading for the stairs. She had to find someone else, someone sane who agreed with her about Paige and Josef. But with any luck her little sister would have a dreadful date and that would be the end of it.  
  
Phoebe mentally scolded herself as she reached her bedroom door. If Paige was happy then she should be happy for her and not hoping that her love life ended up disastrously.  
  
* * *  
  
Paige smiled across the table from over her sushi; the date was going so well. She had never clicked so well with on person in such a short period of time. He shared so many of her interests and worked at the newspaper writing articles to help people. She had to admire how hands on and devoted to his work he was.  
  
She smiled as she felt her heart jump a little again. There had to be a reason why he was still single. Decent people did not stay single for long, generally everyone she like had been taken. But then what did that say about her; she'd been single for a good eight months now.  
  
"So what's your story?" Paige asked. "Why are you still single."  
  
"The same reason as you I guess. I've not found the right person yet."  
  
"But you must have had relationships before?" Paige questioned.  
  
"I got divorced a couple of years ago."  
  
"Oh, I'm sorry." Paige stuttered quickly. "I didn't mean anything by that. I've really put my foot in it haven't I?"  
  
"Don't worry about it. I do it all the time." Josef replied. "Put my foot it I mean. It means that I'm a real person and you definitely are."  
  
Paige smiled, "Thank you."  
  
* * *  
  
Piper stared at Wyatt settled peacefully in his crib before turning and heading downstairs. If she could not get any answers from Leo, she was going to get them from Chris. She almost ran down the stairs. She wanted to know what was happening with her husband.  
  
"Chris!!!" She yelled.  
  
"Okay, I'm not deaf." Chris moaned as he looked up from the sofa.  
  
"What are you doing?" Piper questioned. "Never mind, where's Leo?"  
  
"He's an elder." Chris told her sarcastically without taking his eyes off the television. "So I'm guessing he's up there."  
  
Piper made her way over to the television and turned it off, "You know that's just not good enough anymore. I want my husband."  
  
"Get over it, hyper mom." Chris replied in a bored tone as he reached towards the remote control. "He's doing his job and you need to do yours."  
  
"No, that's not good enough." Piper replied stubbornly. "Leo, Leo, Leo!"  
  
Piper smiled as she saw golden orbs appearing in the living room that formed into her husband. 


	5. Part Five

Part Five  
  
Piper stared at her husband for a couple of second before doing anything. There he was, right in front of her and she did not know what to do. Part of her wanted to hug and kiss him, to sink into his arms like nothing had happened. Like he was still only her husband and their whitelighter and had never become an elder. The other part of her wanted to hit out at him, she wanted to slap him across the face and demand why he had left them.  
  
"Leo," She muttered.  
  
Leo smiled back at her, and walked over to his wife. Every part of his body had been aching and missing both his wife and son. Wanting to see them and hold them, wanting to make sure that they were both okay and someone would be there to protect and look after them.  
  
"Piper," He replied. "I've missed you so much."  
  
"And that's why you haven't answered by calls until now. Haven't come to see your son. Or haven't even send a message saying that you were okay."  
  
Leo looked quizzically at Piper before turning his attention to Chris. "But, I have."  
  
Chris felt both sets of eyes turn on him as realisation dawned across the two faces. He shuffled nervous on his feet for a couple of seconds before regaining his confidant stance. They both had to accept their new roles and the sooner they did the better. So if he had been hiding messages between the two then it was for their best interests and they should just accept that.  
  
"What?" Chris said with a innocent look on his face as he flashed them a smile. "My mom used to always tell me that there is nothing wrong with stretching the truth."  
  
Piper just glared at the young whitelighter for a couple of seconds. "Just get out of here, now."  
  
Leo waited as he watched Chris slope off and down to the basement. The boy had to surely have some good qualities but for the life of him it could not work it out yet. If Chris was there just to cause havoc then surely he would have not helped them against the Titians.  
  
"I'm sorry, Piper." He explained as he took her hand. "I should have come to see you earlier."  
  
Piper pulled her hand her way, "Yes you should have."  
  
"But, as arrogant as Chris can be, he is right about one thing."  
  
"Excuse me."  
  
Leo waited for a second as he choose the right words. "We do need to get on with our lives and if not just for ourselves then for Wyatt. And as hard of that is we have to do it, it not fair for Wyatt otherwise."  
  
"I'm being to think you don't even know what's fair." Piper replied, with the anger building inside her. "And I think you should just go back up there until you stasrt to get it."  
  
Piper stared as her former whitelighter disappeared, with the fury build inside her. Yet the moment the orbs had disappeared into thin air she regretted what she had said. Why had she not just hugged him and told him that she loved she loved him. She reached forward into the thin air where just minutes before her husband had been standing as if she could hold onto him.  
  
The eldest Halliwell was broke out of her thoughts as she heard Wyatt familiar call. She mentally scolded herself as she headed for the stairs, she had to put Wyatt first and she'd not been doing that.  
  
* * *  
  
Paige slipped through the door to the manor at about two o'clock in the morning. She had just had one of the best first dates that she ever could have had, but for the first time in a while she was glad that she did not have a job in the morning. The high that she was on at the moment was going to keep her up for a while.  
  
She headed quietly up to her bedroom as placed a CD on in the machine and grabbed her headphones. Piper would kill her if she woke Wyatt up and Phoebe would kill her if she woke her up without a good reason. Either way keeping the noise down was pretty much essential with the two temperamental sisters that she had.  
  
She changed into her pajamas and then curled up on her bed with her diary and her music as she smiled to herself. She held her pen to her lips and poised as she thought of what to write. She wanted to savor every moment of the night instead of rushing it away.  
  
* * *  
  
Phoebe looked up from her coffee, cereal and newspaper. Her mouth opened slightly to see Piper fully dressed in the kitchen herself. It was the first time that she had seen her sister dressed and ready to face the day since Leo had left.  
  
"Close your mouth Pheebs," Piper told her. "You look like a goldfish."  
  
"Your up."  
  
"I'd noticed that too." The elder sister replied, "I decided that it was about time that I started to get my life back in order. I can't stay like this forever, it's not fair on me or Wyatt."  
  
Phoebe smiled at her older sister full of admiration. She knew Piper had to take it one step at a time and since she'd made the first step, she was not going to push her too far.  
  
"Good for you."  
  
A small smile shot across Piper's face. "Thank you."  
  
"Anyway changing the subject, did you hear Paige get in last night?" Phoebe asked.  
  
"Yeah," Piper replied. "She slipped in when I was checking on Wyatt at about quarter past two."  
  
Phoebe grinned at Piper evilly as an idea struck her. If Paige was going to play with fire in dating older men she was going to have a bit of fun with her. Its what any good big sister would do and what both Piper and Prue had done to her many a time as a teenage.  
  
The middle charmed one when to the stairs with Piper slightly behind her. Phoebe glanced at the red roses that had arrived on the hallway table only ten minutes before.  
  
"Paige! Paige!"  
  
"Oh that's evil." Piper whispered. "Paige!"  
  
Paige appeared at the top of the stairs with a groggy expression on her face. She had not planned on waking up for another couple of hours and was not ready or awake enough to face a demon attack nor ready to be social with her sister yet.  
  
"What is it?"  
  
"It's just you've got some roses down here." Piper told her with a small smirk.  
  
Both Piper and Phoebe found themselves burst into fits of laughter as Paige sprinted down the stairs to rush to look at her flowers almost falling over her own feet.  
  
Paige smiled as she took the card ignoring her two older sisters. It had been so long since that she had got flowers let alone red roses. She read the note quickly, 'I had a great time, your one in a million. I'll call you later to sort something else out, Josef.' She turned back to her sisters.  
  
"Okay, night, I'm going back to bed."  
  
"You not going to give us any details?" Phoebe asked.  
  
"Nope," Paige replied with a smile.  
  
Phoebe sent a small smile back. "Ah well, I'll just find out at work." 


	6. Part Six

Part Six  
  
Phoebe sat in her office at a desk and doodled on a pad of paper as she held the phone to her ear. After Piper sideway comments about the phone bill over the last couple of months she had decided that it was easier to call Jason from work then she would just claim it was for work later to Elise.  
  
She smiled as she listened to her boyfriend's voice. She loved spending time with him and it was just getting so hard conducting such a long distance relationship. Maybe that's why she had been so judgmental of Paige's date yesterday. Paige had a potential relationship that did not cross a state, country or even magic boarders.  
  
"So what's happening with you?" Phoebe asked curiously down the phone.  
  
"Not too much other than work." Jason replied, "So how's things at the Halliwell manor?"  
  
"Hectic." Phoebe told him, "Leo is still away with work, which leaves me and Piper a bit lonely especially with Paige dating someone new."  
  
"Hmm," Jason answered before pausing for a couple of seconds. "Is that Chris bloke still there?"  
  
Phoebe smiled slightly to herself, "Are you jealous?"  
  
"Well he's a strange man that is living in a house with my beautiful girlfriend." Jason explained. "Its only natural."  
  
Phoebe burst out into a small fit of laughter, the thought that she could ever seriously think of Chris anyway in that fashion. Yes he was relatively cute but he was unbelievable annoying and there just felt like there was something quite right about him. Yet there was some small part of her that felt quite pleased that Jason was a little jealous and uneasy.  
  
"You've no need to worry." She told him. "Chris is Leo's cousin and would never dream of acting in anyway like that towards us. Besides why would I need him when I've got you?"  
  
"That's a very good point and I promise to be back soon."  
  
"Good."  
  
* * *  
  
Paige made her way back downstairs a couple of hours after she had been rudely awaken earlier. She brushes her hands down her suit in an attempt to smooth out any left over creases as she smelt the roses that had been sent to her earlier. At least one thing seemed to be going right at the moment.  
  
"Another interview?"  
  
The youngest Charmed One turned around to see her eldest sister holding Wyatt in the doorway to the living room. She smiled at Piper as she saw Wyatt wave his little hand back at her a gurgle spit down his mother top.  
  
"Yeah."  
  
Piper smiled back at her, "You know I think your three suits have seen more daylight over the last month than they did when you actually had a job."  
  
"Your probably right there." Paige agreed with a slight grin. "I'm glad to see you feeling better and back to your old self."  
  
"And my old self would ask you about the guy who set you roses."  
  
"And that's where I have to leave to get turned down for another job." Paige explained before grabbing her car keys and heading out of the door.  
  
"Oh come on Paige, I've got to live my love life through someone." Piper called after her.  
  
"Sorry Pipe, it's a no go." Paige explained as she closed the door behind her. "I'll see you later."  
  
She smiled to herself as she got into her car. There was no possible way that she was going to let any details slip before she knew if anything was going to happen. Anything else than that would just be temping fate.  
  
* * *  
  
Paige pulled her car up into the driveway back at the manor. She got out of her car she noticed Chris sitting on the front steps. She sent the young whitelighter a smile, she sometimes felt sorry for him. He was so isolated with the rest of them and was spending increasing amount of time sitting out of the manor on the steps.  
  
"Hey." She said as she made her way over towards the door. "Your lucky you don't have to try and get a job, this magical birth-right really puts the dampener on it."  
  
"You'll get on sooner or later."  
  
"I hope so," Paige replied as she kept her hand on the door. "You coming inside?"  
  
Chris looked at Paige for a couple of seconds. She was the most likeable of the charmed ones and the one that had tended to give him the most time. He smiled as he catch her eye.  
  
"Can I ask you something?"  
  
Paige looked doubtfully at Chris for a couple of seconds before shrugging it off. "Go for it?"  
  
"What do you see in Josef?" Chris asked. "I mean you could do so much better."  
  
"Well," Paige explained. "The only thing that people seem to have a problem with is his age. OI mean if he was fifteen years younger everyone would be telling me to go for it, but because he's not everyone is warning me off him. And to be honest I don't care about age."  
  
"But there's people your age that are interested." Chris told her.  
  
"Don't."  
  
Chris grabbed Paige arm and pulled her towards him. It was now or never, and he was never a person to doubt his own actions. He moved his lips closer to hers' as he held her arms and gently but forceful started to kiss her.  
  
Paige's eyes opened widely as she felt Chris lips on hers. She used her strength to push his arms away and turned to slap him across the face. Nobody took liberties with her especially if they knew that she was possible at the start of a relationship. She was not that kind of woman.  
  
"I said don't."  
  
Chris watched as Paige disappeared into the manor and slammed the door behind her. He rubbed his arm on his check as he felt both his pride and his face hurt. The young whitelighter quickly opened the door again.  
  
"Paige, wait, Paige." 


	7. Part Seven

Part Seven  
  
Josef wrapped his hands on Phoebe's office door as he waited for an answer. He knew from the tid-bits of information about the three sisters and from that slight knowledge he knew how close they were and that they often gained each others confidence. And that if he wanted to continue to develop some form of a relationship with Paige then he must get Phoebe to hold at least a neutral status towards him.  
  
Phoebe looked up and sighed slightly beneath her breath as she saw Josef standing at the doorway. She titled her head a little as she tried to guess what her younger sister saw in this man. He was relatively good looking for his age, even if his black hair was reclining a little.  
  
Josef sent Phoebe a small smile, "Hi."  
  
"Hi," Phoebe said looking him straight in the eyes. "Is this about Paige?"  
  
"She is one very special women." Josef replied with a smile, "You don't need much time with her to tell that."  
  
Phoebe smiled as she caught Josef eye. This was the moment that she could lay the ground rules down. Tell him that he was too old and ask him what he was doing with a 25 year old. She ran her hands over the rim of her nose as she stared at him for a couple of second while thinking of the right words to say.  
  
"That's why we don't want to see her hurt." Phoebe told him bluntly. "You are aware that Paige is only 25 and you are old enough to be her father?"  
  
"I know that we are both adults." Josef replied. "And that the only reason I'm here is to let you know that I'm not going to hurt her and how much I respect her as a woman."  
  
"Just make sure you stick to that."  
  
"I'll see you at the meeting later." Josef said as he left the room.  
  
"Yeah whatever." Phoebe muttered.  
  
Phoebe watched as the door closed behind her. She gave herself a mental pat on the back; it had gone relatively okay. She had seemed to get her point across and let him know that she was not happy without isolating him and possibly turning Paige against her.  
  
Phoebe turned back to her computer and looked at the blank screen and then pile of unanswered letters. With everything else that had gone on this morning she had not got anything else done. She grabbed a letter and started to scan through it. She was really going to have to start working if she was going to meet her deadline.  
  
* * *  
  
Piper held her hand up to wave as she entered Golden Gate Park saw her friend. She directed Wyatt's buggy toward Shelia and her children. The eldest Halliwell quickly made her way over and sat down on a bench and smiled at her friend.  
  
"Hey," Shelia said as a smile that beamed at Piper. "How's things going?"  
  
"There getting better."  
  
Piper relaxed slightly, it felt such as relief taking to Shelia. As considerate and helpful as everyone else tried to be, they just did not understand. Phoebe and Paige understood the wicca duties and Paige had never lost anyone to magic before while neither of them had children. Her few friends that she had left may have had children yet none of them had to deal with the problems of being a charmed one. Yet Shelia mixed into both worlds.  
  
Shelia glanced over at Darryl Junior on the swings before turning back to Piper. She could hardly believe the things that this woman had been put through, purely for helping save thousands of innocent people. Surely she should be rewarded for that and not have her husband stole off her.  
  
"Well, just remember I'm always here if you need me." Shelia told her. "I mean if it wasn't for my mother at times."  
  
"Mom," Piper muttered. "Shelia you're a genius."  
  
"I taught Darryl said that your mom was."  
  
"Oh she is." Piper replied as she caught Shelia confused look. "It's one of the few magical perks, we can summon the dead if we need to talk to them."  
  
Shelia mouth formed in a O shape briefly before she spoke. "So you're going to call her."  
  
"Exactly, after her and Sam, she'll know just what to do about me and Leo." Piper replied. "I'll explain it all later, I'll call you I promise."  
  
Piper got her things together quickly and offered a hurried goodbye to Shelia and her son as she left with Wyatt. If anyone knew what it was like for a magical relationship to go through all the problems possible then it was her mother.  
  
* * *  
  
Paige sat curled up on the sofa with her feet tucked under as she played with the ends of hair and rested the phone between her head and shoulder. She smiled as she felt her heart flutter listened to Josef voice. This guy was unlike anyone she had ever dated before.  
  
"So what happened when she left?" She asked into the phone.  
  
"I think she sent daggers into my back."  
  
"I'll sort it out later." Paige replied, "She has no right to say anything."  
  
Paige let out a small sigh; she could hardly believe that Phoebe had actually challenged him. She was not eighteen anymore and as Josef had explained to her sister they were both adults.  
  
"I don't want it to come between you two." Josef explained, "Maybe we should hold off tonight."  
  
"No, I want to go out tonight with you if you still want to go out with me."  
  
"Great," Josef said. "Ten at P3."  
  
"That would be perfect." Paige grinned to herself. "I'll see you then."  
  
* * *  
  
Chris stood standing in the doorway as he watched Paige on the phone. He hovered in the doorway for a couple of seconds. If he went in there, surely Paige would just do her disappearing act, but he could not just leave things how they were. As he saw he hang up the phone he made his way into the room.  
  
"Paige."  
  
Paige looked up from the sofa and saw Chris. She sent a hopeful look up to the ceiling; she could not deal with him now. She let out a small sigh, as she looked him straight in the eyes before disappearing into orbs and reappeared in her bedroom.  
  
"Paige."  
  
She turned around to see Chris reappearing in her bedroom. Why was this happening? Just after she started dating someone who she could see herself starting a relationship with, but her sister was trying to sabotage it and Chris was just messing with her feelings and her head.  
  
"Get out of my room Chris!"  
  
"You can't ignore this." Chris pressed on. "We kissed."  
  
"No, you kissed me there's a difference."  
  
Chris sent her a smile, "But that's only because there is something between us."  
  
"No there's not." Paige yelled as he felt her body tense up. "Now get out."  
  
"Okay, okay, I'll go." Chris replied calmly as she held her hands in the air. "But ask yourself this, if there was nothing between us, why are you so upset."  
  
Paige watched as Chris orbed out of the room and threw a shoe at the place that he had just been standing. There was nothing between them, Chris had kissed her and not the other way round. 


	8. Part Eight

Part Eight  
  
Piper quickly made her way up to the attic carrying Wyatt in her arms. She quickly placed Wyatt in his playpen and got the candles out of a trunk. She smiled quickly over at her son. She was going to find her way to get her husband back. She set the candles quickly out in a circle and stood behind the book of shadows.  
  
"Here these words. Hear my cry, spirit from the other side. Come to me, I summon thee. Cross now the Great Divide!"  
  
Piper waited slowly tapping her foot while golden orbs appeared in the middle of the candle lit circle. The orbs slowly emerged into the shape of a young woman with long dark hair.  
  
"Piper!"  
  
"Hi mom." She replied bluntly. "How do I get my husband back?"  
  
"Oh Piper," Patti said as she automatically stuck her arm out to reach her daughter. "I'm so sorry, you can't."  
  
"I know he's an elder now." Piper tried to reason as she glanced over at Wyatt. She wasn't going to let her child grow up without his father, like she had had to do. "But we must be able to work it out, just like you and Sam did."  
  
Patti closed her eyes slightly as she slowly shook her head. "But we didn't."  
  
A sense of realization hit Piper. Her mother hadn't been able to sort out the problems of a magical relationship either, so why would she have been able to give her advice. She looked up at the ceiling briefly then back to her mother.  
  
"I'm sorry." She replied in a soft voice. "I'm just not sure I can do it alone."  
  
"Piper, you are a wonderful mother." Patti said in a stern voice as she swapped the focus of her eyes from Piper to Wyatt. "You're doing just fine and he's a truly remarkable little boy. You have lots of help. There's Phoebe and Paige and Leo without mentioning your Grams, Prue and myself."  
  
"Eh?"  
  
Patti smiled at her daughter. "Do you seriously think that we don't stop by to check on you all?"  
  
"I guess not."  
  
"Good." Patti said with her smile extending to the tone of her voice. "I better get going. Give everyone my love and my little grandson a kiss."  
  
"Will do," Piper replied.  
  
Piper watched as her mother disappeared into golden orbs and evaporated into thin air. She paused standing still for a couple of seconds staring at the center of the circle of candles before walking over to the playpen. She picked her son up and softly kissed him on the top on the head.  
  
"I love you okay."  
  
* * *  
  
Paige stormed down the stairs into the living room. How dare he even think about kissing her? She hadn't asked for it. Why did he have to go and confuse the boundaries? She slumped onto the sofa and started frantically flicking through the TV. Channels.  
  
"You're going to burn up the remote."  
  
Paige turned around to see Chris standing behind her. She sent him an evil look as she kept eye contact with him for a few seconds before orbing out of the room. She reappeared in her bedroom and was quickly followed by Chris.  
  
"I'm not going to orb around the house, chasing you again."  
  
"Good." Paige replied bluntly. "Get out of my room."  
  
"No we are going to talk about this like sensible adults."  
  
"Cause we are." She replied as she started throwing clothes out of her wardrobe and onto her bed. "Because you're so giving with your information and sharing facts about yourself. Who were your parents Chris? Why did you come back from the future? Did you have a girlfriend? Hell how old are you?"  
  
"I can't answer those questions."  
  
"Well I can't talk to you about the kiss either then." Paige said as she held a black dress up against her and looked in the mirror. "So I think that I'm going to call Josef and fix up a date for tonight because that's who I want as a boyfriend not you."  
  
"Fine."  
  
Paige watched as Chris face fell before he dissolved into thin air before her eyes. She let out a small sigh as she looked into the area in which Chris had just been standing. She had done the right thing. She knew nothing about Chris and had hidden so many things to them while Josef had been completely honest with her and more than willing to share information while they got to know each other. Yeah, she'd made the right decision.  
  
She picked up the phone while looking at her dress and trying to match it against a pair of shoes. She smiled as she punched in the number to her phone. She was doing the right thing. 


End file.
